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Ronnie O’Sullivan speeds past Tom Ford to reach UK Championship final

O'Sullivan has now dropped just three frames in his last four matches (credit:BBC Sport)

Ronnie O’Sullivan won through to a fourth consecutive UK Championship final after thrashing Tom Ford 6-1 in York on Saturday afternoon.

The defending champion remained on course for a record-breaking seventh UK crown by emphatically ending the Leicester underdog's ground-breaking run at The Barbican.

O'Sullivan recovered from losing the opening frame by reeling off six on the spin to reach an eighth UK Championship final in which he has dropped just nine frames along the way.

"There was a bit of pressure on me but I responded well," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport.

"I have amazing support here like I have done all my career and it is still great to be playing decent snooker and to be performing for them.

"I feel them willing me on and they know I appreciate them and have a big heart for the snooker fans.

"I want to go out there and be involved in a good match. What is more important is that it is a good final for snooker and the fans that follow the sport.

"If I am not winning then it is not the end of the world as people still want to see you do well."

It was Ford who drew first blood with a 68 break after O'Sullivan had broken down on 32, but 'The Rocket' responded with a sublime break of 122 to level.

O'Sullivan clinched a close-run third frame before adding a break of 71 to lead 3-1; he then sealed a cagey fifth frame and make a half century in the next before dominating frame seven to seal the deal.

He will now face either reigning Masters Champion Mark Allen or English Open Champion Stuart Bingham in Sunday's final.

Ford, who was appearing in his first Triple Crown Semi-Final, admitted: "It is a bit bit frustrating because I felt good out there.

"I enjoyed playing a match that I lost because of the experience and the crowd.

"If someone told me I would have been in the UK semis, I would have taken it all day long."